Coin freed or operated machine for vending postage-stamps, tickets, &amp;c.



No. 878,787. PATENTED FEB. 11, 1908 K. E. FAWNS 88 G. KERMODB. 0011\1 PREED 0R OPERATED MACHINE FOR VENDING POSTAGE STAMPS, TICKETS, &0. APPLICATION FILED OGT14.1907.

3 SHEETSSHEET 1 ZZZ-.4 4/

MIMI/##4## m Ill/I Mi 1 No. 878,787. PATENTED PEB.11, 19084. K. E. FAWNb 6: G. KERMODE.

COIN FREZD OR OPERATED MACHINE FOR VENDING POSTAGE STAMPS, TICKETS, &o.

A'PILICA'ITON FILED 0014,1 107.

3 SHEETS-SHEET *6, fij

A liar-m I No. 878,787. PATENTED FEB. 11, 1908.

K. E. FAWNS & G. KERMODB. 00m FREED OR OPERATED MACHINE FOR VENDING POSTAGE STAMPS, TICKETS,- &o.

APPLICATION FILED OUT. 4.1907. 3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

lV/TNESS/[S 6d W .5, 2mm @f a 3 Alia/216) UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

I -KATRINE ELLEN FAWNS AND GEORGINE KERMODE, OF ROSS, TASMANI A, AUSTRALIA.

COIN FREED OR OPERATED MACHINE FOR VENDING POSTAGE-STAMPS, TICKETS, 850.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 11, 1908.

Application filed October 4n 1907. Serial No. 395.893

To all whom it may concern: 1 Be it known that we, KATRINE EL EN FAWNS and GEORGINE KERMODE, subjects of the Kingof England, residing at Ross, Tasmania, Australia, temporarily residing at London, En land,. have invented certain new and useful mprovements in Coin Freed or Operated \Ma'chines for Vendin Postage- Stamps, Tickets, and the Like, 0 which the following is a specification. i

his invention relates to improvements in coin-operated machines for vendingpostage stamps, tickets and the like and more particularly to improvements in machines of that type which are described and shown in the specifications of British Letters Patents No. 25875 of 1904 granted to Dickie & Brown. and No. 13587 of 1906 granted to ourselves.

The characteristic feature of the said machines is that the strip of stamps is fed'to an aperture in the casing by means of an intermittently rotatable wheel having peripheral I ins adapted to engage the strip and feed the atter for a 'predetermineddistance through the said aperture to the purchaser.

The present invention primarily comprises mechanism whereby a load is energized directly by'the action ofv inserting a token or coin toset the machine for operation without the intervention of intermediate hand operated mechanism or parts, the load when so energized acting also to release or impel the coin to the mac A further feature of the invention comprises an improve d form of coin or token de tector to permit coins of predetermined diameter to act to free or permit the operation of the machine or certain parts thereof while rejecting coins of smaller-diameter and preventing the release or operation of the machine or certain parts thereby.

direct action of the coin and the release and detecting mechanism referred to are lparticuwheel, free wheel mechanism, and other coactingparts of the machine shown and .described inthe aforesaid Letters Patent No. 13875 of 1906, and ma be used in combina-' tion with any or all 0 the said mechanisms ifdesired, while stillbeing applicable for use with any othertype of machine or apparatus. The invention also comprises certain novel features, details of construction and combinations of parts hereinafter described and permit or produce the operation of- The setting or operating mechanism by the et feed particularly pointed out in the claims reference being made to the accompanying drawings showing an embodiment of the invention and wherein Figure l'is an elevation of the entire mechanism as seen from the rear with parts broken away for clearnessi of illustration. Fig. 2 is a sideelevation of Fig. lseen in the direction of arrow a. Fig. 3 is a similar view seen in the direction of arrow 1). Figs. 4 and 5 are sections on the line w:c of Fig. 3. Fig. 6 is a section on line yy of Fig. 3. Fig. 7 is a detail view of part of Fig. 1. Fig. 8 1s a sectional view on line 2.z of Fig. 6. Fig. 9 is a side elevation of the machine with the casing partly broken away and Fig. .10 is a front elevation of the machine. F1gs. 11 to 15 are detail views showing the devices which adapt feed w eel mounted rigidly on a sha t 6 car ried preferably by screw bearings in brackets 7 secured to a frame 8 in connection with the plate 1 Also mounted rigidly on the shaft 6 is [a toothed. wheel 9 hereinafter referred to, and

loosely mounted on said shaft is a quadrant 10- to which is attached the operatin weight 11. To the op osite end of the atter is pivotally and a justably connected an arm 12 rigidly mounted on a horizontal shaft 13 carried from the front plate 1' preferably by .screw bearin s 1.4...

Immediate y behind the coin insertion aperture 2 is an arm or lever 13? rigidly secured to the shaft 13 and extendin .into the coin chute 15 also loc ted directy behind said aperture. The lat er may comprisea Y 100 vertical passage between two lates 15" extending downwards to neart e bottom of the machine as shown.

, Extending into the coin chute is an angu- I larly placed arm or abutment 16 mounted one-vertical shaft 17 supported on the chute and carrying at or near its lower end a second arm 18 through the free end of which passes a'screw or equivalent adjustable abutment 18f" passing through a slot in the chute wall and'abuttmg against a spring pressed pivoted plate or flap- 19 adapted to work in an opening in the chute wall and normally close the arm 16.

Traversing the open lower end of the chute 15 is a balance or trip lever 22 mounted on a shaft 23' and under the action of a spring such as 24 so as to be held normally in contact with said lower end of the chute. Also mounted on shaft 23 is a'sui table escapement 25 adapted to co-act with a detent lever 26 carried by a spindle 27 on which is mounted a inion 28 in mesh with the toothed wheel 9 'efore referred to; Retro rade movement of said wheel 9 is prevente by means of'a suitablepawl 29. A

The sprocket feed wheel 5 has a series of laterally extending pins 30 adapted to be engaged by a hoo 31 pivotally carried by the quadrant 10 and preferably under the action of a sprin this construction bein similar to that isclosed in the aforesai Patent No. 13587 -A. D. 1906. The said feed wheel is also provided with a rooved cover 32 and guide portion 33 for leading the stri of stamps to said feed wheel but we now ma e the cover and guide as one piece instead of separately as hitherto and mount same in slots 34 formed in a guide bracket 35 depending from the frame 7.

Extending through an aperture in the bracket 35 is a' plunger rod 35 adapted when no stamps are resent to traverse an a erture 36 in the guide 33 somewhat as in t e earlier construction referred to, this rod being pivotally attached to a bell crank lever 37 the latter being connected to a vertical rod 38 ivoted at its opposite end to a lever T 's lever is fulcrumed at 40 to the plate 1 and attached at its-oppositeend as by pin and slot connection to a thin slide or late 40 working in a passage or way formed or same in the front plate 1 and bearing on its outer face the word Empty or similar a prorilriate indication and held raised to c ear t e coin aperture as long as the plunger bears against a stamp.

The plates 15*" forming the walls of the main chute 15 are preferably provided with serrations 41 (Fig. 8) adjacent to the coin insertion aperture 2 for the purpose of engaging or arresting bent coins or tokens. inserted through said aperture and adjacent to and. partly traversing the stamp discharge aper-- ture 3 is a late 42 having an edge provided with serrations or teeth for assistance indetaching astamp from the strip fed through the said aperture 3, the strip being fed below said plate and an upward pull on said strip causing the serrations to enter the perforations and assist the tearing action at such weakened spot.

The operation of the machineis as follows:

The strip of stamps, tickets or the like is led up between the bracket 35 and guide 33 and under the cover 32 over the feed wheel as usual. On insertion of a coin of correct'diameter into the aperture 2 it engages the lever 13* and on a reasonable amount of pressure being exerted on said coin it rocks said lever and consequently the shaft 13 which latter carries with it the arm 12 and thus raises the weight. .Since the latter is connected to the quadrant 10 the hook 31 thereon is caused to move over and engage one of the pins 30 of the feed wheel thus setting the machine for operation. The act of inserting the. coin has however, raised the weight 11 for a greater distance than is necessary for the engaging movement of the hook (although the-weight cannot be-raised sufficiently to engage a second in by reason of its abutting against a stop 1 1 and the coin which has till this moment been resting on or supported by the edge of the aperture 2 and the abutment 16 is now forced downwards by the weight acting downwardly onthe lever 13. This downward thrust causes the coin to slightly rotate the abutment 16 and shaft '17 thus causing the screw 18 on the second arm 18 to move inwards and force back the flap 19 against the action of its spring hinge thus clearing or opening the main chute 15 for passage of the coin. The latter is thus enabled to fall onto the trip lever 22, to rock same and shaft 23 whereby the detent lever 26 is released from the escapement 25. The. pinion 28, toothed wheel 9 and feed wheel 5 are thus released and under the action of the weight 11 the uadrant 10 drops drawing with it the feed w eel'and rotating the latter for the required distance to feed a stamp through the aperture 3. The rocking niovement'of lever 22 and shaft 23 is limited by a finger 22 engaging the outer wall of the chute,15.] If however a coin of a fraction smaller diameter than that intended for use in the machine is inserted in the aperture 2 it will fail to-engage the abutment 16 (the distance of the latter from the lower edge of the coin aperture being exactly adjusted by the screw 18 to suit the roper denomination of coin to arrest the atter). and will fall down into the chute 20 and out through the rejected coin aperture 4 since as the coin has not moved the abutment 16 under the action of the weight as described above the flap 19 has not been operated and therefore the main chute 15 has remainedclosed. On the last stamp of the strip passing the end of the plunger rod 35* the latter is free to move horizontally thus allowing the slide 40 to fall and close coin aperture 2 at the same time displaying the word Empty or other indication with which it may be provided. In such position the slide is lockedagainst being raised from the exterior of the machine, for

example by means of a gravity catch 40' adapted to fall and lock the lever 39, (see Fig. 7). a If by any chance the detent lever 26 should be accidentally released from the'escapement it would render it possible to rotatethe feed wheel for a greater distance than that required to feed one stamp by pulling on the strip extending through the discharge aperture. To avoid this the weight is provided with a dog or pawl 45 adapted to engage or he in the path of a pin 30 of the feed wheel when said weight is in its lowermost position.

In Figs. 9 and 10, 48 shows a spool on which the stamps or tickets are wound and 49 a cash drawer into which the coins pass through an aperture 50 after acting on the trip lever 22 as described. By suitable adjustment the machine may be adapted to feed more than one stamp at a time. To adapt the machine for issuing the stamp or ticket only after insertion of a plurality of coins, we may adapt the followingmechanism illustrated in Figs. ,11 and 12. This comprises a ratchet wheel 60 rigidly mounted on the trip shaft 23 and adapted to be rotated tooth by tooth by a pawl 61 carried. by an arm 62 mounted on a sleeve 63 to which the trip lever 22 is attached. A form of escapement different from that already described is necessary with this construction viz. one which will not permit the release of the detent lever 26 until the ratchet wheel has been rotated for the desired number of teeth. This may be effected by forming the escapement with a flange 64 having a series of radial slots 65 for passage of the detent lever and opposite same a number of suitably placed sto s 66 for arrestin said lever. A separate or (ifferent removab e and suitably fixable escapement is used for each denomination of stamp or ticket to be issued, as illustrated in Figs. 13 to 15. Taking for example the issue of a 2d. stampv by the insertion of two'pennies, the esca ement shown in Fig. 13 would be used and it will be seen that on insertion of the first .coin, the shaft 23 will be rotated for a short distance through the pawl and ratchet gear and release the detent lever from a stop 66 but will not be completely released since said lever will abut against a solid ortion of the flange 64. Now on insertion o the. second coin the shaft 23 will be again rotated for a sufiicient distance to allow aslot 65 to come 0 posite the detent lever thus completely re easing same and allowing the operation of the machine.

Figs. 14 and 15 show respectively escapements for release by three coins and six coins on the number of teeth on the ratchet whee In the'case under consideration, the ratchet wheel has twelve teeth, therefore for release by two coins six slots are required (Fig. 13), for three coins four slots and for six coins two. slots and so on. The pawl 61 is returned to normal position, for example by a spring 67 and a retaining pawl 68 or equivalent is preferably provided for the ratchet wheel 60. Instead of using the .se arate serrated plate 42 before referred to, t e serrations may be formed in the forward edge of the cover 32 and the latter brought close up to the front plate 1.

We do not limit ourselves to exact details of construction and arrangement of parts shown and described since the same may be varied without departing from the spirit of the invention but 4 What we claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is 1. A vending machine, comprising vending means, actuating mechanism therefor, devices operative directly by a coin for energizing the. actuating mechanism, and coin controlled ,means for releasing the actuating mechanism to effect the operation of the vend-- ing means. f I

2. A vending machine, comprising vending means, weighted actuating mechanism for actuating said means, means operative directly bya coin for raising said weighted devices into position to operate the vending means, and coin operated means for releasing said weighted actuating devices. 7

3. A vending machine, comprising vending means, actuating mechanism, connections between said actuating mechanism and vending means, coin engaging. means also connected with said actuating mechanism for energizing the latter when a coin is introduced, and coin-controlled means for releasing the actuating mechanism.

4. A vending machine, comprising vending means, a shaft provided with an arm, actuating mechanism including a weight connectedwith said arm and means intermediate the weight and the vending means for actuating the latter, another arm on said shaft in position to be engaged directly by a coin to raise the weight, and coin-controlled means for releasing the weight.

5. -A vending machine comprising vending means, actuating mechanism including an arm or segment, a dog or hook pivotally attached to said arm or segment, projections on the vending means to be engaged by said dog or hook, and a weight connected with said armor segment, a shaft having an arm connected with said weight, said shaft also having an arm in position to be engaged directly by a coin to raise the weight, and coin controlled means for releasing said weight to actuate the feeding and discharging nected with said arm and with the arm orsegment on the shaft of the vending means, and coin-controlled means for releasing said weight.

7. In a vending machine having a coin slot, the combination with means for. feeding a stri of flexible goods, a dplunger movable into t e path of such goo s, a shutter for obstructing the'coin slot, a lever connected with said shutter, a rod connected at one end with said lever, abell-crank-lever connecting said rod with the plunger and an arm to engage the first-mentioned lever when the plunger is projected into the path of the goods and t e shutter is obstructing the coin slot, and denoting that the machine is 8. A vending machine, comprising vending means, an actuating means therefor, means operative by the direct action of a coin for energizing said actuating means, and means operative step-by-step by a series of coins for releasing the energized actuating means.

9. ha vending machine, the combination with vending means, of actuating mechanism therefor, means operative by the direct action of a coin to energize said actuating mechanism, means for temporarily locking the actuating mechanism and vending means, said locking means including a shaft provided with an arm projecting into the ath of the coin so as to be actuated by the latter to release the actuating mechanism and vending means.

10. In a vending machine, the combination with vending means, of actuating mechanism therefor, means operative by the direct action of a coin for energizing said actuating mechanism, means for connecting the actuating mechanism with the means, a de tent lever, gearing between said detent lever and connecting means, a rock shaft, a detent on-said rock shaft to be engaged by said detent lever, and an arm. projecting from'said rock shaft into the path of a coin.

11. In a vending machine, the combination with vending means, of actuating mechanism therefor, means operative by the direct action of a coin for energizing said actuatin mechanism and connecting it with the ven ing means, detent devices for temporarily locking the actuating mechanism in energized position, and means actuated by a coin to effect the operation of said detent devices to release the actuating mechanism and effect the operation of thevending means.

12. 'In a vending machine, the combination with vending means, of actuating mech anism therefor, means operative by the direct action of a coin to energize said actuating mechanism, connecting means/between the actuating mechanism and vending means, a detent lever, gearing between said detent lever and connecting means, a rock shaft, a multiple detent on said shaft, and an arm on said shaft projecting into the coin path to effect the operation of said shaft and the step-by-step operation of said multiple detent by the actlon of a series of coins.

13. In a vending machine, the combination with vending means, ofan actuator therefor,'means operative by the direct action of a coin to energize said actuator, connecting means. between said actuator and vending means, a detent lever, gearing connecting said detent and connecting means, a rock shaft, an arm on said rock shaft and projecting into the path of the coin, and a multiple detent on said rock shaft, said detent comprising two flanged members s aced apart, and cooperating with said detent lever, said flanged members having notches and the notches of one member alternating with the notches of the other member.

14. In a vending machine, the combination with vending means, of actuating mechanism therefor, means for energizing the 100 actuating mechanism, connecting means between the actuating mechanism and vending means, a detent lever, gearing between said detent lever and connecting means, a rocksliaft, an arm in the coinpath, ratchet devices 105 connecting said arm with the rock shaft, and

a multiple detent secured to said rock shaft and cooperating with the detent lever.

15. In avending machine, the combination with vending means, of a weight, an arm 1 10 or segment connected; with said weight, a dog or hook attached to said arm or segment and adapted to engage the vending means, coin operated means for energizing the weight, means for releasing the actuator, and 115 an arm on the weight to engage the vending means.

16. In a vending machine, the combination with a vending means having an annular series of projections, ofa weight for actuat ing said vending means, an arm or segment connected with said weight, a dog or hook attached to said arm and adapted to engage the projections of the vending means, coinoperated means for raising said weight, means for releasing the weight, and an arm on the weight to engage one of the projections on the vending means.

17. The combination with vending means, an actuator therefor and coin-operated means escapement comprising a detent lever, a

multi each 0 enings of one member alternating with the s ots or openings of the other member, a pawl and ratchet gear coacting with said escapele detent, comprising two members,

'ment, and a trip actuated by a coin for operating said pawl and ratchet ear.

18. In a vending mac he the combination of an intermittingly rotatable feed wheel adapted to support a strip of vendible articles, actuating mechanism including a loaded rocker and a releasable connection between said actuating mechanism and feed wheel, and a pivoted member acted upon directly b the coin and adapted to energize said roc er. v

19. In a vending machine the combination of an intermittingly. rotatable feed wheel adapted to support astriplof vendible articles, actuating mechanism including a rocker and a releasable said rocker and feed wheel, a pivoted member acted upon directly by the coin, and a weightconstituting a part of the actuating mechanism and interposed, between sai rocker and pivoted member and adapted to be raised by the movement of the latter to energize the rocker. V

20. In a vending machine the combination of a casing having a coin aperture, an intermittingly rotatable feed wheel adapted to support a strip of vendible articles, actuating mechanism including a rocker and a' releasable connection between said, rocker and feed wheel, a pivoted member located immediately behind the coin a erture and adapted to be acted upon directly b a coin inserted therethrou h, a connection etween said pivoted member and rocker, and a weight constituting a artof. the actuating mechanism and carrie by-said connection and adapted to be raised by said pivoted member to energize the rocker.

21. In a vending machine the combination of an intermittingly rotatable feed wheel adapted to support a strip' of vendible articles, actuating mechanism includin' a loaded rocker and a releasable connection etween said rocker and feed wheel, a pivoted aving slots or openings, the slots or connection between arm on the rock s .amsm.

member acted upon directly by the coin and adapted to energize said rocker, and means movable with-said actuating mechanismfor limitin the rotation of the feed wheel.

22. n a vending machine the combination of a casing having a coin; aperture, an intermittinglyrotatablefeedwhee adapted to sup ort a strip of vendible articles, actuating mec anism including a rocker and a releasable connection between said rocker and feed wheel, a pivoted member located immediately behind the coin aperture and adapted to be acted upon directly by a coin inserted therethrough, a connection between said] ivoted member and rocker, a weight carried y said connection and adaptedto be raised by said pivoted member to energize the rocker, and means carried by said connection for limiting the rotation of t e feed wheel.

23. In a vending-machine, the combination with a coin chute,a movable plate normally obstructing said chute, and coin operated means for moving-said plate to unobstruct the coin passage, of a rock shaft, a coin engaging arm on said shaft, vending means, weighted actuating mechanismconnected-with said vending means and said rock shaft, and o eratin the coin-engaging li aft to orce' a coin through the coin chute and also supplying motive power to the vending means, and coin-controlled means to release the actuating mech- 24. Ina vending machine, the combination with vending means, a coin chute, an obstructer for said coin chute, a shaft provided with a coin engaging arm, coin operated means for movin said obstructer to permit the passa e 0% a proper coin, a weighted actuator or forcing acoin past the coin-obstructer operating means, connections between the said actuator and the vending means for operating the latter, and

coin-controlled means for releasing the actuator.

In witness whereof specification in the resence of two witnesses.

KATRI E ELLEN FAWNS. GEORGINE KERMODE. Witnesses:

EUSTACE H. BARKER, JOHN J. NEWPORT.

we have signed this 

